Louisiana’s alligator farming supports conservation and $56M in annual revenue by releasing 5% of farmed young into the wild.

Louisiana’s alligator farming industry, a major economic and conservation effort, produces about 400,000 farmed alligators annually, with skins valued at over $56 million in 2024. Once endangered, American alligators were delisted in 1987 and now classified as “Least Concern,” aided by a regulated system that includes releasing about 5% of farmed young into the wild. Farmers use tracking tags to ensure legal trade, while state data guides release numbers based on wild population surveys. The program links economic value to habitat preservation, supporting wetland conservation and sustainable luxury goods production, though some critics question its ethics and long-term impact.